Football transfer rumours: Manchester United to replace Fernandes with Gonçalves?

The Rumour Mill is back in action, filtering absolutely nothing from the gossipmongers and pumping it straight into your eyes. To heighten the excitement, there is not one but two transfer windows this summer. You lucky lot.

Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m move from Wolves has ignited what is to be a busy off-season for Ruben Amorim as he attempts to turn the Manchester United behemoth around. It could become somewhat more complicated if Bruno Fernandes decides he wants to test himself in jump ship to the Saudi Premier League with Al-Hilal. If that does become the case, one bit of tittle-tattle doing the rounds is that Amorim will return to his former employers to sign Pedro Gonçalves, who once had a gloriously forgettable spell at Wolves.

In a summer where plenty are leaving Bayer Leverkusen, they look set to make one signing. Brentford and the Bundesliga club have agreed a deal for the goalkeeper Mark Flekken. There has been plenty of discussion to find a fee that is acceptable for both sides but every is finally happy with the outcome. It means Brentford need a new No 1 and they have Caoimhin Kelleher with an £18m already in place for the Republic of Ireland international.

Inside the Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen Venn diagram is a deal for Florian Wirtz. The Premier League champions have made a couple of offers for the German midfielder without success. Erik ten Hag would like any deal to include Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah in order to progress things. Another Liverpool person of interest is Milos Kerkez but they are yet to make contact with Bournemouth over the left-back.

Chelsea are closing in on Liam Delap but do not want to stop there when it comes to signing the best of young English talent. The Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite is of increasing interest to Enzo Maresca and the Blues recruitment machine after impressing at Goodison Park.

David Moyes will not be keen on losing Branthwaite as he is targeting a period of squad strengthening. One potential target is Brighton’s Matt O’Riley who enjoyed and indifferent first season on the south coast under Fabian Hürzeler, who could be open to letting him go.

It should be a fun couple of months in the free transfer market and La Liga sides are always pretty savvy when it comes to not spending cash. Barcelona are supposedly having a natter with Thomas Partey and his representatives about a move to Catalonia.

Sunderland might be back in the Premier League but a few of their stars are being linked with moves away. Jobe Bellingham is being tracked by Eintracht Frankfurt and Dan Neil is being linked with a £15m move to Roma.

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Down in the Championship, centre-backs are in demand. The Bournemouth defender Chris Mepham, who spent the season on loan at Sunderland, is wanted by Sheffield United, while Derby are keen on Wolves’ Craig Dawson.

Wrexham are plotting a triple threat of deals. Tottenham’s Ben Davies, Leicester’s Danny Ward and Brentford’s Myles Peart-Harris are all on the list of targets.

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